In the prior art, several methods are available for generation and supplying of various timing signals needed for a CCD (charge coupled device), LCD (liquid crystal device), and other devices. As a typical conventional method, a timing generator is used. This timing generator has a signal generating unit for each of plural timing signals needed for the device, such as a CCD. The signal generating units in the timing generator have a certain limited number of waveform change data for prescribed timing signals to be generated. Each signal generating unit has a constitution in which a prescribed one waveform change point data item is selected from plural waveform change data based on the outputs of a horizontal counter and a vertical counter, a prescribed timing signal defining the waveform change is generated based on the selected waveform change point data item, and it is generated at the output terminal. Also, each waveform change data item is realized with a hard wired circuit or by means of waveform data stored in a memory.
For the timing generator with the aforementioned constitution, the timing signal generated at the output terminal of each signal generating unit is limited to the signal of a certain prescribed waveform, and, in order to change it, it is necessary to change the hardware or to change the waveform data stored in the memory.
As another conventional method, there is a timing generator that generates timing pulses for use in driving solid-state image pickup elements. For this type of timing generator, the waveform data are divided into time-sequence data and edge data for storage in a memory (for example, see Patent Reference 1). The time-sequence data contain data for highly repeated and complicated pulses, and the edge data contain data for less repeated pulses. The time-sequence data and edge data are combined to generate desired timing pulses in this constitution. As a result, increase in the data quantity to be stored in the memory can be avoided.
More specifically, the time-sequence data contain plural data blocks, one for each waveform change point, and each data block contains all the waveform change data [of] certain plural timing signals generated with the timing generator. Consequently, it is possible to generate waveform changes for different timing signals generated at the same time. However, even for one waveform change of plural timing signals, it is necessary to set a data block for all the plural timing signals. Also, because the timing signals for the solid-state image pickup element as the object are generated by means of a combination of time-sequence data and edge data, the constitution of the waveform data for signal generation becomes complicated. That is, the waveform data pertaining to a prescribed timing signal cannot be clearly separated from the waveform data of the other timing signals. Consequently, change of the waveform data of a prescribed timing signal itself is not an easy job. In addition, because the time-sequence data and edge data may be combined to generate a timing signal, depending on the timing signal to be changed, it becomes necessary to change both the time-sequence data and the edge data. This is undesirable.
For a CCD, LCD, and other devices, the timing signals needed are different for different manufacturers. Even for products manufactured by the same manufacturer, significant difference occurs for different models. Consequently, for the aforementioned timing generator of the prior art, it is necessary to design a timing generator for each prescribed device. Consequently, it is hard to provide timing signals required by the various devices as the objects.
The aforementioned problems also exist in the case when control signals are generated and fed to signal processing integrated circuits ICs and other devices.
[Patent Reference 1]
Japanese Kokai Patent Application No. 2001-238138 (FIGS. 3, 6)
Consequently, the objective of this invention is to provide a data transfer method and system for generating plural timing signals, etc. for any CCD, LCD, signal processing integrated circuit IC, and other devices.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a type of data constitution of data blocks for use in said data transfer.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a method and device for correcting the transfer timing of data blocks in data transfer.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a method and device for transfer timing control in controlling the transfer timing of transferred data blocks in data transfer.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a method and device for generating timing signals for used in a CCD, LCD, and other devices by combining said data transfer method and device.